Had a flash today...
of the first meeting of Wyatt and Raoul and the beginning of PD.
Video's still uploading, but here's the jist:
Twelve-year-old Wyatt Cain grumbled silently in the passenger seat of the cruiser, knowing that there was no way he would be getting out of this one. He knew better, too, but went along anyway. And, now, he had to suffer the consequences.
Next to him, Jacob Cain steered the car down the road, knowing that the silence was probably driving his son crazy. "Volunteering is good for you," he finally said. "Helps you to remember that there are folks out there worse off."
"Yes, sir," Wyatt mumbled. Being forced to help with the park cleanup was much better than what he could have to be doing. He could be picking up trash on the highway, or having to spend time at the senior center or, worse, spending the night in jail.
Yeah, this was one of those times where that threat was well-earned. Well, Wyatt hadn't broken the law, exactly, but would have definitely deserved that experience.
"Zachary and Junior will be there, too," Jacob said in a grim tone. "You three best stay out of trouble or I won't be able to help you the next time."
"Yes, sir," Wyatt mumbled again.
A few minutes later, Jacob pulled into the parking lot of the neighborhood center and shook his head as Wyatt stalked out of the car and waited on the curb. Jacob knew that there wasn't much hope for Zack - that boy was just destined to be off - but had hoped that Wyatt and Elmer Junior would grow out of the troublemaker phase.
Wyatt, sooner, simply for the sake of his mother's sanity.
Jacob put a hand on Wyatt's shoulder and gave him a squeeze as they moved toward the door. Wyatt could see a few folks already tending to the grounds, and a few were painting the side of the building. As they entered, Jacob nodded to a man near the side door and held out a hand.
As they chatted for a moment, Wyatt moved to the door and looked out over what was soon to be a new playground area and garden. Glancing back to his father, Wyatt decided he couldn't get into too much trouble by going out to see which task he’d rather do and pushed on the door.
Off in the corner, he noticed a boy about his age digging a hole. On the ground behind him sat half a dozen potted plants. Plants, he could handle, as Wyatt had helped his mother on more than one occasion. Moving toward the boy, Wyatt shoved his hands in his pockets and stopped just shy of the boy's shadow.
"Hi," he said simply. The boy bent down, scooped some dirt out of the hole with his hand and glanced up.
"Hi," he responded and reached into the hole for some more dirt.
"What are you in for?" Wyatt asked, watching as the boy reached behind him for a plant and measured the depth of the hole.
"In for?" he asked, looking up to Wyatt with a frown. Shaking his head for a moment, he set down the plant, wiped his hands on his pants leg and stood up. "If I'm not at school, I'm here," he said, nodding to the building. "Until my grandma gets home from work," he added with a shrug.
"So, you're here, on purpose?"
"Yeah," the boy laughed and presented a hand. "I'm Raoul." Wyatt too his hand and they shook.
"Wyatt."
***
Half an hour later, Jacob finally made it outside and scanned the group in search of Wyatt. It took him half a second to spot the boy - poor kid had been cursed with the Cain blonde - and he smiled, seeing Wyatt with a boy who wasn't Zachary Morris.
He watched as the boy showed Wyatt the proper way to prepare the plants before putting them into the hole and then the best way to fill the hole, mounding the dirt a bit higher, as well as creating a slight ring to hold the water.
Glancing at his watch, Jacob knew that Elmer and Junior would be arriving soon, probably with Zack in tow. For the few moments it took him to walk across the space, Jacob wished that Wyatt would find something else to do with his life besides law enforcement. Wyatt, Elmer and Zack all had no greater aspirations than to follow in their fathers' - or grandfather's, in Zack's case - footsteps.
Wyatt glanced up as Jacob neared and he grinned. "Hey, Dad, this is Raoul. Raoul, this is my dad."
"Nice to meet you," Jacob nodded.
"Sir," Raoul nodded back.
"He's gonna be a Detective soon," Wyatt said proudly as Jacob knelt down and held his hand out.
Wyatt passed the potted plant in his hand over and, as Jacob turned it over to loosen the soil, he mumbled: "Not that soon." Wyatt rolled his eyes and went back to prepping the hole. "So, Mister-" he paused, giving a look to Raoul.
"Cruz, sir," Raoul replied.
"Mister Cruz," Jacob smiled. "Do you boys know each other from school?" Both boys shook their heads.
"Just met," Wyatt informed him, snatching the plant away. Jacob watched as the boys finished the planting and ignored him.
"Well, I hear that they're bringing lunch in later," Jacob offered, knowing that he'd lost Wyatt's attention entirely.
"Yes, sir,” Raoul nodded with a proud grin. "My grandmother helped make it." Jacob smiled.
"I can't wait," he said with another nod and pushed himself up. "You two stay out of trouble," he said, a split second before the sound of someone shouting for Wyatt reached the three of them. Jacob turned just enough to see Zack and Junior on the other side of the fence, with Elmer Senior just behind them.
Turning back, Jacob noticed that Wyatt's demeanor had changed completely. "Well," he started with a sigh, "I think you two have a handle on this. I'll go see if we can keep them out of trouble with picking up trash," he continued, nodding to the other side of the grassy field, where some men were pulling out large trashbags.
Jacob didn't miss the smile on Wyatt's face.
***
After lunch, and meeting with Raoul's grandmother - she demanded not only Wyatt's life story, but Jacob's - Wyatt and Raoul moved over to help some of the men plating the larger trees. Jacob was having trouble separating the boys by the end of the day and sat back with some of the other volunteers as the boys offered to pick up the tools and trash.
Raoul positioned one of the shovels upside down in the large metal trashcan without realizing he'd done it as Wyatt picked up one of the large buckets they'd been using to carry water to the places the hose couldn't reach.
Wyatt spun the bucket in his hands, slapping the sides after letting go for a second and nodding in approval at the sound it made, enough that he did it again. Raoul grabbed another shovel and swung around, smacking the metal part of the one shovel with the handle of the other. Both boys stopped at the sound and their heads cocked slightly as they both had the same thought.
"Hey," Wyatt said, holding out the bucket. He nodded to the bottom of the bucket and Raoul grinned before tapping it with the handle of the shovel. Raoul then proceeded to smack the side of the trashcan and both boys shook their heads. Maybe if the metal trashcan was upside down as well.
And in the air.
Wyatt set the bucket down as Raoul dropped the shovel and reached for the one in the trashcan. Wyatt pulled the rest of the items out of the trashcan and then flipped it over and nodded to his new friend. Raoul smacked the side of the can with the shovel handle and both boys nodded in agreement at the sound it made.
Raoul dropped the shovel and nodded to Wyatt, who passed the trashcan back and picked up the bucket again. Raoul set the trashcan down on its side and dropped to his knees. He began tapping out a beat on the side of the trashcan and Wyatt looked through the pile of tools for something useful, but had no luck.
"Wish I has some sticks," Wyatt mumbled, which caused Raoul's head to pop up.
"You play?" Wyatt shrugged and gave him a slight nod.
"I'm trying to convince my mom to let me get a drum set. Right now, though, I just play on the desk."
"Nice," Raoul nodded, noticing the looks from the men at the door. Turning back to Wyatt, both boys started cleaning up the mess they'd made with their impromptu jam session. "My grandma made me learn the piano, but I'd rather play drums."
"My mom made me learn the piano, too," Wyatt whined. "I wanna learn guitar," he mused, putting the last of the items into the trashcan. As each boy grabbed a handle and they moved toward the door, Raoul looked at Wyatt.
"We should start a band."
The inspiration:
Video's still uploading, but here's the jist:
Twelve-year-old Wyatt Cain grumbled silently in the passenger seat of the cruiser, knowing that there was no way he would be getting out of this one. He knew better, too, but went along anyway. And, now, he had to suffer the consequences.
Next to him, Jacob Cain steered the car down the road, knowing that the silence was probably driving his son crazy. "Volunteering is good for you," he finally said. "Helps you to remember that there are folks out there worse off."
"Yes, sir," Wyatt mumbled. Being forced to help with the park cleanup was much better than what he could have to be doing. He could be picking up trash on the highway, or having to spend time at the senior center or, worse, spending the night in jail.
Yeah, this was one of those times where that threat was well-earned. Well, Wyatt hadn't broken the law, exactly, but would have definitely deserved that experience.
"Zachary and Junior will be there, too," Jacob said in a grim tone. "You three best stay out of trouble or I won't be able to help you the next time."
"Yes, sir," Wyatt mumbled again.
A few minutes later, Jacob pulled into the parking lot of the neighborhood center and shook his head as Wyatt stalked out of the car and waited on the curb. Jacob knew that there wasn't much hope for Zack - that boy was just destined to be off - but had hoped that Wyatt and Elmer Junior would grow out of the troublemaker phase.
Wyatt, sooner, simply for the sake of his mother's sanity.
Jacob put a hand on Wyatt's shoulder and gave him a squeeze as they moved toward the door. Wyatt could see a few folks already tending to the grounds, and a few were painting the side of the building. As they entered, Jacob nodded to a man near the side door and held out a hand.
As they chatted for a moment, Wyatt moved to the door and looked out over what was soon to be a new playground area and garden. Glancing back to his father, Wyatt decided he couldn't get into too much trouble by going out to see which task he’d rather do and pushed on the door.
Off in the corner, he noticed a boy about his age digging a hole. On the ground behind him sat half a dozen potted plants. Plants, he could handle, as Wyatt had helped his mother on more than one occasion. Moving toward the boy, Wyatt shoved his hands in his pockets and stopped just shy of the boy's shadow.
"Hi," he said simply. The boy bent down, scooped some dirt out of the hole with his hand and glanced up.
"Hi," he responded and reached into the hole for some more dirt.
"What are you in for?" Wyatt asked, watching as the boy reached behind him for a plant and measured the depth of the hole.
"In for?" he asked, looking up to Wyatt with a frown. Shaking his head for a moment, he set down the plant, wiped his hands on his pants leg and stood up. "If I'm not at school, I'm here," he said, nodding to the building. "Until my grandma gets home from work," he added with a shrug.
"So, you're here, on purpose?"
"Yeah," the boy laughed and presented a hand. "I'm Raoul." Wyatt too his hand and they shook.
"Wyatt."
***
Half an hour later, Jacob finally made it outside and scanned the group in search of Wyatt. It took him half a second to spot the boy - poor kid had been cursed with the Cain blonde - and he smiled, seeing Wyatt with a boy who wasn't Zachary Morris.
He watched as the boy showed Wyatt the proper way to prepare the plants before putting them into the hole and then the best way to fill the hole, mounding the dirt a bit higher, as well as creating a slight ring to hold the water.
Glancing at his watch, Jacob knew that Elmer and Junior would be arriving soon, probably with Zack in tow. For the few moments it took him to walk across the space, Jacob wished that Wyatt would find something else to do with his life besides law enforcement. Wyatt, Elmer and Zack all had no greater aspirations than to follow in their fathers' - or grandfather's, in Zack's case - footsteps.
Wyatt glanced up as Jacob neared and he grinned. "Hey, Dad, this is Raoul. Raoul, this is my dad."
"Nice to meet you," Jacob nodded.
"Sir," Raoul nodded back.
"He's gonna be a Detective soon," Wyatt said proudly as Jacob knelt down and held his hand out.
Wyatt passed the potted plant in his hand over and, as Jacob turned it over to loosen the soil, he mumbled: "Not that soon." Wyatt rolled his eyes and went back to prepping the hole. "So, Mister-" he paused, giving a look to Raoul.
"Cruz, sir," Raoul replied.
"Mister Cruz," Jacob smiled. "Do you boys know each other from school?" Both boys shook their heads.
"Just met," Wyatt informed him, snatching the plant away. Jacob watched as the boys finished the planting and ignored him.
"Well, I hear that they're bringing lunch in later," Jacob offered, knowing that he'd lost Wyatt's attention entirely.
"Yes, sir,” Raoul nodded with a proud grin. "My grandmother helped make it." Jacob smiled.
"I can't wait," he said with another nod and pushed himself up. "You two stay out of trouble," he said, a split second before the sound of someone shouting for Wyatt reached the three of them. Jacob turned just enough to see Zack and Junior on the other side of the fence, with Elmer Senior just behind them.
Turning back, Jacob noticed that Wyatt's demeanor had changed completely. "Well," he started with a sigh, "I think you two have a handle on this. I'll go see if we can keep them out of trouble with picking up trash," he continued, nodding to the other side of the grassy field, where some men were pulling out large trashbags.
Jacob didn't miss the smile on Wyatt's face.
***
After lunch, and meeting with Raoul's grandmother - she demanded not only Wyatt's life story, but Jacob's - Wyatt and Raoul moved over to help some of the men plating the larger trees. Jacob was having trouble separating the boys by the end of the day and sat back with some of the other volunteers as the boys offered to pick up the tools and trash.
Raoul positioned one of the shovels upside down in the large metal trashcan without realizing he'd done it as Wyatt picked up one of the large buckets they'd been using to carry water to the places the hose couldn't reach.
Wyatt spun the bucket in his hands, slapping the sides after letting go for a second and nodding in approval at the sound it made, enough that he did it again. Raoul grabbed another shovel and swung around, smacking the metal part of the one shovel with the handle of the other. Both boys stopped at the sound and their heads cocked slightly as they both had the same thought.
"Hey," Wyatt said, holding out the bucket. He nodded to the bottom of the bucket and Raoul grinned before tapping it with the handle of the shovel. Raoul then proceeded to smack the side of the trashcan and both boys shook their heads. Maybe if the metal trashcan was upside down as well.
And in the air.
Wyatt set the bucket down as Raoul dropped the shovel and reached for the one in the trashcan. Wyatt pulled the rest of the items out of the trashcan and then flipped it over and nodded to his new friend. Raoul smacked the side of the can with the shovel handle and both boys nodded in agreement at the sound it made.
Raoul dropped the shovel and nodded to Wyatt, who passed the trashcan back and picked up the bucket again. Raoul set the trashcan down on its side and dropped to his knees. He began tapping out a beat on the side of the trashcan and Wyatt looked through the pile of tools for something useful, but had no luck.
"Wish I has some sticks," Wyatt mumbled, which caused Raoul's head to pop up.
"You play?" Wyatt shrugged and gave him a slight nod.
"I'm trying to convince my mom to let me get a drum set. Right now, though, I just play on the desk."
"Nice," Raoul nodded, noticing the looks from the men at the door. Turning back to Wyatt, both boys started cleaning up the mess they'd made with their impromptu jam session. "My grandma made me learn the piano, but I'd rather play drums."
"My mom made me learn the piano, too," Wyatt whined. "I wanna learn guitar," he mused, putting the last of the items into the trashcan. As each boy grabbed a handle and they moved toward the door, Raoul looked at Wyatt.
"We should start a band."
The inspiration:
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